But having wider options can offer up more flexibility on future projects. Limited combinations can make finding a suitable one faster, since designers might only have a dozen to choose from. But others have such unique character that suitable combinations are limited. Some typefaces are neutral enough that they can be paired with hundreds of other fonts. Designers should be sure they understand the licensing of any fonts they’re considering using and what limitations those licenses might impose. Others allow for use in promotional materials but might now allow for use on a product being sold.Īnother consideration is that if multiple designers are working on a single project, they might each need a licensed version of the font. Some licenses only allow for use in one medium or another. While many fonts have general licenses that allow for use in virtually any situation, others do not. Deciding this narrows down the font choices for a designer, which can make settling on a final selection easier. But most modern typefaces in both styles can work well in either medium, especially with advances in screen resolutions.ĭesigners should consider whether they want to use display or script fonts for their headlines and titles, and decide whether serif or sans serif typefaces better suit their message and the project’s brand. Both script and display fonts are used primarily for short blocks of text or things like headlines and titles.įor readability, serif fonts were once viewed as more reader-friendly in print, while sans serif fonts as more reader-friendly on screen. Script fonts resemble handwriting or calligraphy. Display fonts are unsuitable for use at small sizes, but their appearance varies widely. Sans serif typefaces can be seen as more modern and minimalist. So, the collection of letter shapes that we know of as Arial or Times New Roman is called a typeface. Serif fonts are often viewed as more traditional and formal (though not all are). The word typeface historically refers specifically to the shape and style of the letters, organized into a set based on the alphabet, numbers, and punctuation needed to completely express language. There are four basic fonts styles: serif, sans serif, display, and script. It can be helpful to make a list of all the potential projects a typeface will be used for at the outset of choosing a new font. They should also think about whether the fonts will be used for a limited time or indefinitely. A font that will only be used for a limited scope, such as a slide deck, will need to be less flexible than one that will be used across a brand’s entire visual presence.ĭesigners should think through whether the typeface will be used only for digital projects or also in print. The scope of the project or projects in which a font will be used is one of the first things designers should consider when choosing a typeface. But there are a few things designers can keep in mind to make typeface selection easier and more focused. Experimentation and practice are both important to mastering typeface selection. The right typeface can make a design, while the wrong one can definitely break it. Not surprising considering there are more than half a million fonts in existence. Others spend hours trying to figure out the right typeface for the job without ever really feeling confident in their final choice. Some designers default to using the same handful of fonts they’re comfortable with for every project. Lato supports all Latin alphabets, along with Cyrillic, Greek, and IPA.Choosing a typeface for any design project can be stressful. Ĭarlito is a forked typeface which is very similar to Lato, it is released by Google with metrics compatible with Microsoft's Calibri typeface. Īfter Lato was added to Google Fonts it quickly gained popularity, becoming the third most used web font after Google's own Roboto and Open Sans, with over one billion views per day as of August 2018. When the bank changed its stylistic vision, he shelved the typeface, and released it later that year under the libre SIL Open Font License. Lato was created in 2010 for a Polish bank by Łukasz Dziedzic. It is the main font used on iCollege, Georgia State University's primary learning management system, and the official typeface of the Polish Government and the polish bank Bank Pekao. Lato has been used in various physical publications, including information signs and election campaign billboards. Īs of August 2018, Lato is used on more than 9.6 million websites, and is the third most served font on Google Fonts, with over one billion views per day. Lato is a humanist sans-serif typeface designed by Łukasz Dziedzic.

Typeface meaning